Sevenoaks Council Leader At Risk

The Conservative leader of Sevenoaks District Council is facing a vote of "no confidence" from former party colleagues next week.

The Conservatives lost overall control of the council in May when seven members resigned to form the West Kent Independents.

There have been calls for the resignation of leader Cllr Roddy Hogarth since the walk-out.

But he said that he's "happy" to face the vote on October 16th and that being held to account is “part of public life”.

Cllr Hogarth said: “I am in the position as both the leader of the Conservative group and leader of the council. The leadership of the council is by a democratic vote and people voted for me on the basis of what was best for the council.

“I am taking this vote as a reassessment of that. I want to be the best leader in the best interests of the residents.”

Asked if the motivation behind the motion might be personal, Cllr Hogarth said: "I’m not the person bringing the motion and you would have to ask the people bringing the motion about the personal aspects.

“I have stood aside from the personal aspects.

“I am happy to be called to account because that is public life. If I get the vote, then it’s an endorsement of my leadership.”

The Conservatives currently have 24 members, the Liberal Democrats 14, West Kent Independents 9, Green Party 4 and 3 other independents.

It seems unlikely that West Kent Independents can successfully mount a challenge without the support of the Lib Dems or a poor turnout from the Conservatives.

Sevenoaks District Councillor and deputy group leader of the Liberal Democrats at Kent County Council, Cllr Richard Streatfeild, said it was a “psychodrama” being played out between the ruling Tory group and its former members.

He added: “They (West Kent Independents or WKI) have come to the conclusion that this is the only way to get Roddy Hogarth to resign. The trouble is that they don’t have the numbers and they are in no different a position than they were a few months ago when they left the Conservatives.”

Asked if the Lib Dems would side with WKI to remove Cllr Hogarth, he said: “We are not chumming up with anyone. We don’t have much faith in the current administration but we also know that the residents want us to get on with the issues that affect them, such as the Local Plan.

“We would agree to a coalition on policies but since we would be the biggest party in that coalition then we would expect to lead it.”

The West Kent Independents issued the following statement: "With a new Local Plan at a critical stage and Local Government Reorganisation on the near horizon, the Council stands at a pivotal moment in its history. Decisions taken now will shape the lives and services of our residents for years to come.

"WKI members believe the Council must take this opportunity to ensure residents benefit from dynamic, forward-thinking leadership – leadership that is experienced, transparent, inclusive and capable of providing the clear sense of direction needed to meet the challenges ahead.

"Residents deserve a leader who is ambitious for their communities, responsive to their needs and able to restore trust and confidence amongst their fellow councillors and officers at the Council."

A spokesperson for WKI said: “This is about putting residents first and ensuring our communities thrive as we transition to a new unitary authority. Strong leadership is vital to deliver transparent decision-making, rebuild confidence, and focus on the priorities that matter most – protecting our towns and villages and supporting local services. We simply do not believe that the current Council Leader has the right qualities to meet such a
challenge.”

“As we hurtle towards a new Unitary structure for Local Government, we call on all Sevenoaks District Councillors to back this motion so, together and under stronger leadership, we can proudly be part of a Council that truly works for all its residents at this crucial time in our history.”